DI for recording Bass

[hubercraft]

Anybody know of a good DI box that works good on Bass reordings for under $ 500.00 Thanks

[groove]

SansAmp Bass Driver DI from Tech21*NYC. Simple and great sounding. Use less since I got a UA 6176. Nevertheless the drive and presence controls on the sansamp are hard to beat.

my 2cents

[Resonant Alien]

Demeter VTDB-2B - the best. A little over $500 - its around $520.

[chrispick]

Aside: I'd recommend having a outboard limiter as well. Usually, I shy away from too much compression going into the box (unless I'm going for an effect), especially since I can add it ITB afterwards. But for bass solid limiting going in really helps.

That said, I hear most people tout the SansAmp and Demeter. Like already listed.

FWIW: I used to use my Presonus Eureka to D1 bass and got good results. It's a clean, transformer-coupled pre with a really decent comp and runs about $500. Since then, I've switched to my 6176 for most bass guitar, but the Eureka still gets some bass play here and there.

[mhschmieder]

Avoid compression in recording bass. It's too late once it's added.

I also recommend combining a direct signal with a miked bass cabinet and blending the two. You'll need to invert one of them, most likely (which DP refers to as "phase inversion" instead of "polarity inversion"). The miked amp will get you a self-limited and sometimes slightly-compressed sound, but adds more character as it is the sound the bass player is playing to (we don't hear the direct signal when we're playing!).

As for DI's, get the Avalon U5. I spent several hundred hours looking at all the options last year (there is a bass player's website that actually has sound bites of almost every DI out there, using many combinations of different bass guitars, different playing styles, and finger-picked vs. plectrum), and sold my amp to replace it with the U5. They usually sell for $539 but I got a deal on B-stock for $469. It offers both a mic level and a line level output for maximum flexibility, and they are super-clean.

There is also an optional set of six (seven?) preset EQ's (the exact EQ curves are shown in the data sheet). The intended applications of each are also listed in the data sheet. And re-amping is also supported, along with sensitivity switching at the input level for different impedances.

The U5 is a class "A" solid state device. I will never go back to tubes again after this experience! I get all the warmth I need, with WAY more predictable and consistent behaviour, and much more precision with better handling of transients for crisp detail that captures every nuance.

This is also a perfect DI for acoustic guitar and many other acoustic instruments with piezo pickups. It is not intended for miked instruments.

[PSPartyband]

I too use a Presonus Eureka with real good results. I'm sure there are better ways, but for a $500.00 budget, I think it's the way to go.

[beubbo]

As for DI's, get the Avalon U5. I spent several hundred hours looking at all the options last year (there is a bass player's website that actually has sound bites of almost every DI out there, using many combinations of different bass guitars, different playing styles, and finger-picked vs. plectrum)

Hi,

could you provide us any link to this bass player's website, please ?

did you tried the Bass Pro-EQ Platinum D.I from Fishman ? (way under 500$)

if yes, what did you thought about ?

thanks.

[mhschmieder]

http://www.talkbass.com/reviews/showpro ... roduct/589

You can traverse up that forum to find other topics; I'm too lazy to search them out . I think it also branches into subforums, but there is that comparison chart somewhere in that forum that links to a separate website that has snippets from each DI (and a few non-DI preamps as well).

[seanplaysdrums]

Go with a JDI passive direct box. Around $180 sound great and very heavy duty.

[James Steele]

Avalon U5 here as well.

[Guitar Gaz]

You've not thought about a POD Bass XTL then?

[Resonant Alien]

You've not thought about a POD Bass XTL then?

Before buying my Demeter DI, I had a Bass POD....Although the guitar POD sounds pretty good, I thought the Bass POD was limp and lifeless....and Bass is my secondary instrument - guitar is my first. Anyway, I sold the Bass POD and got the Demeter and I'm very happy with my bass sound now - I'm running out of the Demeter into a Focusrite ISA 220 and then into DP via an 828 - so far, a great setup.

[croyal]

BSS AR-133 is great - ask Roger Nichols. I've got about 6 of them. Unit was "copied " by Behringer for their active DI

The AR-133 is about $145 on the street: Better get two for keys and stereo sources.

http://www.bssaudio.com/includes/produc ... duct_id=15


Chris

[daveyboy]

Recently did a session with a pro bassist and he brought in his own Avalon U5 DI. Just for fun I did a shoot out comparing the U5 to my other pres, Neve 1272, UA 2-610, Grace 101 and API 3124. The API won hands down. It was clearer and had better low end definition. Unfortunately that's WAY more money!! On another note. I've been reamping my DI'd bass using the Izotope Trash plugin with great results. So, regardless of the exact signal going in you can really shape it using Trash. Check out the demo to see for yourself.

[James Steele]

Unfortunately that's WAY more money!!

Well there ya go. I'll have to make do with my U5 for now I guess.